CONTROL PHASE
Phase five of five progressive phases
PHASE SUMMARY
In this phase, the team is verifying that improvements have been made, and that the business and quality goals of the project were achieved. The team will also ensure that business goals of the project were met, and that quality levels are maintained.
HOW THE PRODUCT MEETS CUSTOMER REQUIREMENTS
To ensure that the prototype met the customer’s needs, the team took measurements, tested the device, collected data, analyzed the data, and made conclusions accordingly. The data collected for the elevation mechanism and cutting mechanism is shown in the Control Phase Report Appendix A.20. From the table, one can conclude that the customer’s requirements were met as the device met the necessary height of 40 feet, is small enough to fit in the bed of a pickup truck since it can compress to seven feet, requires no more than two people to use, and has the potential for a functioning cutting mechanism to be attached at the top.
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In testing, the team also found that the prototype was able to perform the harvesting task in a time comparable to the current standard in the Oil Palm Harvesting industry, as discussed in Section 3.3.2 in the Control Phase Report. Additionally, the Oil Palm Harvester will reduce variability from the process because the process will be performed by a machine and not rely heavily on human labor. This will allow for consistently low harvesting times.
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The device is also easy to transport. The team simulated loading and unloading the mechanism onto the bed of a pickup truck by loading and unloading it onto a platform of similar height. One team member was able to perform the task with relative ease, and it would be even easier if two workers were to be performing the tasks. This is another sponsor goal that the prototype can successfully meet. From the tests and measurements taken, the team can be confident that the prototype meets the goals of the project sponsor.
ENSURING THE PROCESS STAYS IMPROVED
To ensure that the Oil Palm Harvester is used in the proper way and is used in such a way that improves the harvesting process, an Oil Palm Harvester User Manual was created. The User Manual is a separate document attached at the end of this report and should be referenced to determine the intended use of the device, potential hazards, and the proper usage instructions. It contains details regarding the process flow, operating procedure, safety procedure, and how people should interact with the product.
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The team developed a Deployment Flowchart to clarify the roles and specific tasks for the Oil Palm Harvester’s users during the harvesting process. This flowchart is especially useful because some of the tasks while using the Oil Palm Harvester may be performed simultaneously, so the deployment chart allows users to see which tasks may be performed at the same time by the two workers (tasks next to each other), and which tasks wait upon the completion of others so they may not have two laborers working at the same time (tasks located under one another).
